GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 315 



Potanine and Skassi spent the greater part of the year in making 

 ethnographic and topographic studies near Sinin and around Lake 

 Koko nor, on the border lands between China proper and Tliibet. 



In southern Arabia we have had most interesting results from the 

 voyage of Glaser. He crossed from Hodeida, on the Eed Sea, to Sana, 

 a voyage not so noted for its length as for the difficulties encountered. 

 He has only been preceded by three Europeans (Niebuhr,17G3; Armand, 

 1843 ; and Halevy, 1870). This is one of the most famous portions of 

 southern Arabia in ancient times. 



Professor Euting, of Strasburg, has also published this year an ac- 

 count of the journey (made in 1883-84) from Damascus to !N^efond and 

 from there to Mecca by a hitherto untraversed route. 



A good map of central Syria has been i)ublished by Dr. Diener, which 

 embodies the results of his studies around Damascus, Baalbec, south- 

 ern Lebanon, and Palmyra. 



Tlie great cartographer H. Kiepert has been travelling through Asia 

 Minor with the object of comijleting his map of that portion of the con- 

 tinent by the aid of original investigations and the unpublished docu- 

 ments to be found at Constantinople. As yet, however, nothing has 

 been published. 



Dr. Elisseiew has started on a journey across Asior Minor to Armenia 

 and Kourdistan by way of Alexandretta and Aleppo. 



The party, composed of Potanine, Skassi, and Beresovski, which has 

 explored a considerable part of southern Mongolia and northwestern 

 China, continued their work in the spring, and started on their return 

 across the desert of Gobi by a route lying between Sogok-Xor and the 

 eastern ramifications of the Altai Mountains. 



There has been another expedition in Thibet which deserves men- 

 tion. The English explorer Carey has passed through western Thibet. 

 From Leh, in Cashmir, he went to Khotan, then, following the course 

 of the Tarim, he reached Lob Nor towards the end of April, and pro- 

 posed to return by the north of China. 



Another expedition, which was known as the Macaulay mission, has 

 been ordered back because of the opposition of the Chinese Govern- 

 ment. It was to have gone to Lhassa, crossing Sikkim and Japela 

 Pass. 



Upper Assam has been visited by Colquhoun, but no reports have 

 been received from him concerning the region lying between Birmah 

 and Assam. The border line of British India has been very carefully 

 and energetically mapped by the English topographers, who were sent 

 there for the purpose. 



In the French possessions of Indo-China, the' investigations of Eev- 

 eillere and Fresigny have demonstrated that the rapids, heretofore con- 

 sidered insurmountable difficulties, can be passed by small steamers, as 

 they went as high as Khong, on the Mekong river. The boundary com- 

 mission have been at work in the North, near Laokai, where they have 



